Boxed cake vs scratch cake Why bakers can't beat SCIENCE
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Date: 2020-01-14
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Comments and reviews: 9
Mark Kalsbeek
I would like to push back a little bit against the thousands of lab coats were thrown at this so you are unlikely to do better argument. Companies optimise the flavour of their products to be appealing to the largest possible section of their costumers, at the cheapest possible price point. (People like sugar, sugar is cheap, so boxed mixes are gonna be sugary)Altough it might be daunting at first, I would encourage any cake enthusiast to just get all the raw ingredients that are in the boxed mixes, and start using them to perfect the recipe for their own palate. Not to mention the types of ingredients that are infeasible to use in boxed mixes that have to be extremely shelf stable or that are cost prohibitive at scale. There is a program on Dutch television, where they investigate products to see if they are what they seem/claim to be. After watching that for a while I realised the above. It's called De Keuringsdienst van Waarde and I can really reccomend it if you can find a subbed version. The reason I like to make things from scratch is mostly control. Both about the finished result and the ingredients. We'll that's not entirely true, the first reason is that I like doing it, but still.
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I would like to push back a little bit against the thousands of lab coats were thrown at this so you are unlikely to do better argument. Companies optimise the flavour of their products to be appealing to the largest possible section of their costumers, at the cheapest possible price point. (People like sugar, sugar is cheap, so boxed mixes are gonna be sugary)Altough it might be daunting at first, I would encourage any cake enthusiast to just get all the raw ingredients that are in the boxed mixes, and start using them to perfect the recipe for their own palate. Not to mention the types of ingredients that are infeasible to use in boxed mixes that have to be extremely shelf stable or that are cost prohibitive at scale. There is a program on Dutch television, where they investigate products to see if they are what they seem/claim to be. After watching that for a while I realised the above. It's called De Keuringsdienst van Waarde and I can really reccomend it if you can find a subbed version. The reason I like to make things from scratch is mostly control. Both about the finished result and the ingredients. We'll that's not entirely true, the first reason is that I like doing it, but still.
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Alexis Kasperavičius
Constantly hammering 'science is better' completely misses the subjective point that Conagra scientists work for Conagra. Their 'better' is to make Conagra money. When the choice is a more sale-able/prettier cake vs. questionable ingredients, Conagra's similar army of lawyers ensure that whatever the ConAgra science army chose can legally be classified as food. Does Congra test (or even care) their concoctions' effect on the human body over time? Merely using 'science' as a panacea for all ills ignores the reality of who is funding the scientists: it matters, and greatly affects outcome. (e. g. Would you really take up smoking if R. J. Reynolds scientists say it's safe) It's a silly thing to preach.
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Constantly hammering 'science is better' completely misses the subjective point that Conagra scientists work for Conagra. Their 'better' is to make Conagra money. When the choice is a more sale-able/prettier cake vs. questionable ingredients, Conagra's similar army of lawyers ensure that whatever the ConAgra science army chose can legally be classified as food. Does Congra test (or even care) their concoctions' effect on the human body over time? Merely using 'science' as a panacea for all ills ignores the reality of who is funding the scientists: it matters, and greatly affects outcome. (e. g. Would you really take up smoking if R. J. Reynolds scientists say it's safe) It's a silly thing to preach.
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Matt Hargraves
I've convinced more than one person who has exclusively made box only cakes for 30+ years to switch to scratch baking by making them a scratch cake. The reality is that, while they can make an amazingly consistent cake with the box mixes, it's a consistently mediocre cake. The ingredients are predictably old and stale. If you're using ingredients that have all been sitting on your shelf for 18-36 months, then your cake will be mediocre too, but if you're making a cake that isn't a boring white cake and use fresh ingredients, the scratch cake's flavor will destroy the box cake.
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I've convinced more than one person who has exclusively made box only cakes for 30+ years to switch to scratch baking by making them a scratch cake. The reality is that, while they can make an amazingly consistent cake with the box mixes, it's a consistently mediocre cake. The ingredients are predictably old and stale. If you're using ingredients that have all been sitting on your shelf for 18-36 months, then your cake will be mediocre too, but if you're making a cake that isn't a boring white cake and use fresh ingredients, the scratch cake's flavor will destroy the box cake.
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drew13600
5: 40I'd say the odds are better than you're implying, given that the engineers/scientists who work in an operation like this aren't only optimizing for the highest quality cake possible. They also need to factor in cost, scalability, legality, probably some other stuff too. There may be ingredients which are expensive, difficult to mass produce, or have not been approved by the FDA which will yield a better texture or flavor. I have no idea if this is the case, but well paid experts picked this so it must be best doesn't really hold water, pardon the pun.
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5: 40I'd say the odds are better than you're implying, given that the engineers/scientists who work in an operation like this aren't only optimizing for the highest quality cake possible. They also need to factor in cost, scalability, legality, probably some other stuff too. There may be ingredients which are expensive, difficult to mass produce, or have not been approved by the FDA which will yield a better texture or flavor. I have no idea if this is the case, but well paid experts picked this so it must be best doesn't really hold water, pardon the pun.
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Sector Black
When it comes to more basic cakes, I'm a big fan of boxed mix. Duncan Hines specifically. I just never had another cake, be at homemade or from a bakery, that tasted as good and had as good of a texture. Of course I wouldn't use a box to mix if I was making something like a gateau breton. My basic box cake trick is to add an extra yolk, switch the oil to butter if it calls for oil, and use milk instead of water. Beats the hell out of any basic cake I've ever had.
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When it comes to more basic cakes, I'm a big fan of boxed mix. Duncan Hines specifically. I just never had another cake, be at homemade or from a bakery, that tasted as good and had as good of a texture. Of course I wouldn't use a box to mix if I was making something like a gateau breton. My basic box cake trick is to add an extra yolk, switch the oil to butter if it calls for oil, and use milk instead of water. Beats the hell out of any basic cake I've ever had.
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Edwin Canggadibrata
Adam, thank you for bringing ethics and philosophy to the kitchen. I totally agree with you but I'd like to revise a bit. I think that cheating to get ahead in the kitchen (with numerous working kitchen hacks) will give you also a sense of accomplishment, not always the other way around. So being able to work around the status quo of having complicated procedures in the kitchen is also ethically and morally justified. What are your thoughts?
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Adam, thank you for bringing ethics and philosophy to the kitchen. I totally agree with you but I'd like to revise a bit. I think that cheating to get ahead in the kitchen (with numerous working kitchen hacks) will give you also a sense of accomplishment, not always the other way around. So being able to work around the status quo of having complicated procedures in the kitchen is also ethically and morally justified. What are your thoughts?
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John G
Adam, perhaps you could address the (literal) 800 pound gorilla in the room that is ConAgra, and other ag-related big businesses, which are more than a little responsible for the obesity epidemic, environmental degradation, and poor agricultural policy. Sure, the box cake may satisfy a short term desire, but it isn't good for you in any way. I think you may be misusing science here because there is more to the whole issue than you have described.
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Adam, perhaps you could address the (literal) 800 pound gorilla in the room that is ConAgra, and other ag-related big businesses, which are more than a little responsible for the obesity epidemic, environmental degradation, and poor agricultural policy. Sure, the box cake may satisfy a short term desire, but it isn't good for you in any way. I think you may be misusing science here because there is more to the whole issue than you have described.
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IamMe
You phrase your high level discussions very well so I do not object to them; just here to offer another alternative. In my moral code, it is the utmost virtuous to sacrifice things for the sake of sacrifice. It's a challenge you can overcome and grow from. I made this decision for me seeing how most people arent even willing to sacrifice anything in the first place. They want to have their cake and eat it too so to speak.
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You phrase your high level discussions very well so I do not object to them; just here to offer another alternative. In my moral code, it is the utmost virtuous to sacrifice things for the sake of sacrifice. It's a challenge you can overcome and grow from. I made this decision for me seeing how most people arent even willing to sacrifice anything in the first place. They want to have their cake and eat it too so to speak.
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BitsyTheNinja
I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like cake. Except pound cake. This video may actually explain why I don't really like it and I learned some stuff. Having really sweet frosting and really sweet cake is no bueno for me. Pound cake, plain or with lemon glaze, is perfect for me because it relies more on richness from butter than sweetness from sugar. I love sugar but I'm sensitive to a lot of sweetness at once.
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I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like cake. Except pound cake. This video may actually explain why I don't really like it and I learned some stuff. Having really sweet frosting and really sweet cake is no bueno for me. Pound cake, plain or with lemon glaze, is perfect for me because it relies more on richness from butter than sweetness from sugar. I love sugar but I'm sensitive to a lot of sweetness at once.
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